Space company Intuitive Machines has been awarded a massive ten-year contract worth up to $4.82 billion to provide communication and navigation services to spacecraft from the Earth to beyond the Moon.
The Near Space Network will cover a region that extends from Earth’s surface to beyond the Moon.
The Geostationary Orbit to Cislunar Relay Services contract has a base period of five years with an additional five-year option period, with a maximum potential value of $4.82 billion.
Intuitive Machines CEO Steve Altemus said, “This contract marks an inflection point in Intuitive Machines’ leadership in space communications and navigation. We’re pleased to partner with NASA, as one team, to support the Artemis campaign and endeavors to expand the lunar economy.”
The contract will see Intuitive Machines’ deploy a constellation of lunar relay satellites to provide enhanced data and transmission services and autonomous operations. The company says the lunar satellite constellations will enable lunar landers to deliver cargo and infrastructure to the moon and provide data links capable of delivering 4K resolution video and navigation services, which will assist in landing site selection and resource prospecting.
In addition, the lunar satellites will aid the development of infrastructure, logistics, and mapping solutions on the Moon to facilitate exploration and autonomous operations, Intuitive said.
The Company will also provide communication and navigation services for NASA’s Artemis campaign as part of the contract.
Houston, Texas-based Intuitive Machines, was founded in 2013 and has been involved with NASA’s Moon missions for several years already through the research agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.
